Integrated bedpan and support



April 19, 1960 D. w. LUND INTEGRATED BEDPAN AND SUPPORT Filed Feb. 12,1958 INVENTOR D.W.LUN D ATTORNEY United States Patent INTEGRATED BEDPANAND SUPPORT Douglas W. Lund, Florence, Ala. Application February 12,1958, Serial No. 714,892

9 Claims. (Cl. 4--112) This invention relates to the care of personswhose conditions are such that they require attention for their comfortand personal requirements, regardless of whether they are ill or in goodhealth, and either at home, at some other location, or in route, as wellas to equipment em ployed in caring for the needs of such persons.

The invention is concerned primarily with caring for the needs of thehuman body including calls of nature which involve the serving andremoving by a member of the family, nurse or attendant, of a collectionreceptacle such as a bedpan or the like in order to preserve sanitationand personal hygiene.

The serving of a conventional bedpan on account of its awkward size,shape and composition has involved considerable inconvenience anddiscomfort, has been easy to upset, and has required excessive exertionsometimes be- Another object of the invention is to provide a kit whichcan be applied to a mattress or seat of any desired character so that anopening or incision may be made for the accommodation of a receptacle,such opening being capable of being closed so that the mattress or theseat may function in the usual way without the receptacle or with thelatter removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a receptacle for use inthe manner of a bedpan with such receptacle having a flared inwardly anddownwardly inclined supporting surface in the form of an oval, one endof which is rigid and the other end of which is semirigid and with anelongated generally cylindrical receiving chamber disposed beneath therigid portion thereof and having its axis parallel to such flaredportion and connected thereto by a reduced neck defining a communicatingslot or opening between said supporting surface and said chamber throughwhich the discharge from the occupant is adapted to pass into saidchamber.

A further object of the invention is to provide a detachable guard toprevent splattering from" the flared supporting surface and which guardmay be readily attached and removed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingwherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating one application of theinvention;

Fig. 2, is a fragmentary view of the surface of a bed, settee, chair,vehicle or other seat having a zippered incision;

Fig. 3, a side elevation of the pan and guard;

Fig. 4, a vertical longitudinal section of the pan itself;

Fig. 5, a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6, a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;,

Fig. 7, a perspective of the guard itself; and

Fig. 8, a fragmentary vertical section of the device applied to asupport such as a mattress, seat or the like.

- Briefly stated, the invention comprises a device for use generally inthe manner of a bedpan either when a person is sitting or in a proneposition and applicable to a bed, seat, or other support for anindividual by providing an incision or slit in such bed or support andpreferably lined in a manner to provide a pocket, and with closure meansfor securing together the sides of the incision or slit to form a solidmattress surface or to permit such sides to be separated to permit theintroduction or insertion of the enlarged elongated receptacle formingchamber of the bedpan of the present invention. This pan has reducedneck slightly shorter and narrower than the receptacle beneath it whichfacilitates retention of the pan in place. The insertion of the pan isfacilitated by the mere introduction of the nose of the receptacleWithin the opening in which the device is applied so that the mouth ofthe pocket within the mattress will fit about and retain the device inplace, such device having a relatively large flared upper portionrelatively rigid at one end and less rigidat its opposite end so that itwill conform to the person using the same and at the same time due toits nature it will permit the person to recognize when the device isproperly applied. If desired, a. removable splatter guard may be appliedcomprising a hood having an inclined top joined to a curved wall, thecurvature of which corresponds to the curvature of the end of the top ofthe pan and being mounted on a strap attached to a yolk which engagesopposite sides of the neck of the device.

With continued reference to the drawing, the bedpan of the presentinvention is formed of a relatively long narrow receptacle 10 disposedon its side and preferably with a bottom 11 flattened to provide astable support.

The upper edge of the receptacle 10 is connected by a neck 12 to anenlarged top of apron 13 preferably of high density polyethylene orother plastic which is unbreakable, non-allergic, high heat resistantand preferably which will have a feeling of warmth instead of an icycoldness of metal or enamelware.

The sides of the receptacle and of the neck preferably are substantiallyparallel to provide a long narrow shape to facilitate insertion of thereceptacle into an incision or slit 14 between the coils 15 of amattress. The neck 12 is of slightly reduced length and width so thatone end can be inserted and form a fulcrum in forcing the other end ofthe device into the mattress and so that the latter will fit' snuglyabout the receptacle and conform itself to the restricted neck tomaintain the receptacle in place.

The top is relatively stiff and is disposed lengthwise of the receptaclewith one end substantially co-extensive with one end of the neck andwith the opening formed by the neck extending lengthwise and centrallyof the top although only slightly more than half the length of the topand with the portion of the top beyond the end of the receptacle ofreduced stiffness to facilitate its accommodation at least to a degreeto the shape of the user and with such portion of reduced stiffnesslocated in the general direction of the head of the user.

The top i3 is generally oval shaped and substantially larger than thereceptacle in order to provide the necessary width and length inaccordance with the size of the user. The top also preferably isinclined from its outer portion towards the opening formed by the neck12 and with an enlarged portion 17 having a wall tapering gentlydownwardly and merging in the end of the neck to facilitate gravityinduced travel of matter from said flared top with said receptacle,

vided with the slit or incision 14 in its surface andsup-' portinglayers 20 and 21'and the supporting coils '15 are pushed asidesufficiently to allow the insertion of a pocket formingmember 22 ofimpervious plastic or other material with the edges 23 of suchinvaginated pocket fastened to said top surface 20 and connected by aninterlocking fastener 24 to fasten such pocket in closed position sothat the mattress, seat or other support may be used without an openingin the conventional manner or with an opening in which the receptacle isinserted so that its top will be substantially'flush with the top of themattress.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which'isillustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but onlyas indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bedpan comprising an elongated flared top portion having'an openingextending centrally from one end lengthwise for more than half itslength, said top' portion being relatively rigid for the length of saidopening and being of reduced stiffness therebeyond to facilitate itsaccommodation to a user, an elongated receptacle disposed lengthwisebeneath the opening in said top and connected to said top by a reducedneck, said top being constructed to lie in contact with a supportingsurface and having its upper surface tapered. downwardly from its marginto said opening for gravity induced travel of matter on said flaredtopwith said receptacle, the ends of said receptacle being of greaterlength than the neck which joins said receptacle to said top forfacilitating endwise application of said bedpan to a support and the insertion of said receptacle into an opening in said support, said narrowneck facilitating the retention of bedpan in place;

2. The structure of claim 1 and a detachable splatter guard for one endof said pan.

3. The structure of claim 1, a splatter guard for application thereto,and a pair of spring arms for detachable engagement of opposite sides ofsaid receptacle. 4. A bedpan comprising a relatively long narrowreceptacle with substantially parallel sides terminating in oppositeends and a fiat bottom, a neck having substantially parallel sides andof reduced length and width connected to the upper portion of saidreceptacle, and a top connected to said neck and having an enlargedrelatively stifi portion connected to said neck with one endsubstantially co-extensive with one end of said neck and its other endextending a substantial distance beyond the opposite end of said neckand of reduced stiffness to facilitate application and use, the ends ofsaid receptacle facilitating insertion of said device.

5. The structure of claim 4 and a guard for location on the end portionof said top and having resilient arms for engaging opposite sides ofsaid reduced neck for detachably retaining said guard in place.

6. In combination with a support having an incision and a closurefastener for holding said incision closed to permit normal use of thesupport or to allow admission to the interior of said support, of memberhaving a substantially flat relatively stiff top with a flaredsupporting surface and an end portion of reduced stiffness to facilitateapplication and use and taperingslightly in- Wardly and downwardly fromits marginal edge, an elongated receptacle disposed centrally beneathand substan tially parallel to said'rigid end portion and connected tosaid flared supporting surface by a reduced neck, the end of said neckadjacent the center of said supporting surface being provided'witha'flared enlargement to facilitate passage into said container, saidcontainer being of a length and breadth greater than said neck forfacilitating application and retention of said device in an opening in asupport.

7. The structure of claim 6 and a removable guard for the rigid end ofsaid support, said guard having spring arms for engaging opposite sidesof said neck for retaining said guard in place.

8. In combination a support for a human'and a bedpan for complementaryapplication to said support so that its upper surface will besubstantially flush with the surface of said support, said supporthaving an incision with a closure fastener for holding the same closedso that the. support can be used in the normal manner and the closurefastener operated to expose the interior of the incision and allow theintroduction thereinto' of a bedpan, said bedpan having a generally ovalshaped relatively thin fiat top portion inclined from its rirri inwardlyand downwardly and into a relativelylong thin receptacle of a length andtransverse thickness to be disposed within said incision and to becontained therein by the frictional engagement between the exteriorof'the receptacle and the structure of the support which forms theincision.

9. The combination ofa support and bedpan for complementary applicationto said support in a manner to permit its uppersurface tobesubstantiallyflushwith the surface of the support, said support havingan incision and an invaginated pocket and a closure fastener for Iholdingsaid incision closed. to allow the support to be used in a normalmanner, said closure fastenerbeing operable to open the incision andallow. the introduction thereintoof a bedpan, said bedpan having arelatively thin fiat top portion inclined from its riminwardly anddownwardly into a relatively long thin receptacle of a length andthickness to permit it to be accommodated within said incision and to becontained therein by the engagement of the exterior of the receptacleand the inva'ginated pocket of the support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS vGreatBritain Oct.4, 1907

